The Los Angeles Post

With High Numbers of COVID-19 Cases, Knowing Your Status Can Be Critical to Preventing Spread

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14,394 New Positive Cases and 15 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County Since Saturday

At-home testing for residents that have an exposure to a known case or have symptoms, and before and after indoor gatherings is critical to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While there are other illnesses that cause similar symptoms as COVID, given the high case rates, anyone with even mild illness should test themselves to be sure they are not sick with COVID and capable of infecting others. And since some infected individuals experience little or no illness, testing before indoor gatherings is another sensible step that can reduce the chance of gatherings turning into super-spreader events.

With the increase in new highly infectious sub-lineages of BA.2, transmission remains high in LA County. The average number of daily cases reported over the last seven days is 4,442.  And the higher case numbers have translated to an increase in the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19. Over the last seven days, the average number of COVID-positive patients per day in LA County hospitals was 515, an increase of 118% from one month ago when the average number of COVID-positive patients per day was 236.

There are several FDA approved rapid tests that are available over-the-counter (OTC) for self-testing at home, at a business, or at other community settings. Most are antigen tests that provide results in a few minutes, as opposed to laboratory-based tests that may take several days to process.

At-home COVID-19 tests should be used when individuals have any COVID-19 symptoms, were exposed to someone with COVID-19, are traveling, and before going to an event or a gathering. Testing before an event or gathering is especially important if individuals at risk of severe disease, older adults, those who are immunocompromised, or people who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, including children who cannot get vaccinated yet, will be present.

A third round of at home tests can be ordered at no charge from the federal government at www.covidtests.gov. Residents who have health insurance can receive eight free at home tests each month for each insured member in their household. And many community organizations are distributing free test-kits to individuals with limited resources. Free OTC testing kits can be picked up at all Department of Public Health vaccination sites.

Individuals should talk with their doctor to make sure they understand what their viral test result means and any next steps.  Those without easy access to a health care provider who have questions about their test result and what to do next can call the DPH COVID-19 information line at 1-833-540-0473, seven days a week.

“As always, we extend our deepest sympathies and prayers for healing to everyone mourning the loss of a loved one from COVID,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “The continued high rate of transmission in the county is concerning, particularly for those at elevated risk. Using all the tools at hand to lower the risk of transmission remains the best approach for enjoying the summer.  In addition to masking indoors and staying up to date on vaccinations, knowing your status in certain situations is an important way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Getting tested at home, when planning to attend an event or traveling, or if experiencing symptoms, allows you to stay away from others if you test positive preventing further spread of the virus. Over-the-counter tests are available for free from the federal government, health plans, and at many community sites serving residents with limited means. We encourage everyone to take advantage of these quick and easy tests.”

Today, Public Health reported 15 additional deaths and 5,708 new positive cases for Saturday, 4,404 new cases for Sunday, and 4,282 new cases for Monday. The number of cases and deaths are likely to reflect reporting delays over the weekend. Of the 15 new deaths reported today, two people were between the ages of 30-49, one person was between the ages of 50-64, four people were between the ages of 65-79, and five people were aged 80 years or older. For information on the three deaths reported by the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Of the 15 newly reported deaths, eleven had underlying health conditions.  To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 32,168.

Public Health has reported a total of 3,004,975 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 3.6%.

There are 530 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 12,051,802 individuals, with 22% of people testing positive.

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov including:

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

 

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases

3,004,975

— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

2,844,393

— Long Beach

130,215

— Pasadena

30,367

Deaths

32,168

— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

30,473

— Long Beach

1,280

— Pasadena

415

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

– 0 to 4

87228

– 5 to 11

252796

– 12 to 17

247972

– 18 to 29

632552

– 30 to 49

908249

– 50 to 64

469988

– 65 to 79

184090

–  over 80

59426

–  Under Investigation

2092

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  Female

1450313

–  Male

1315057

–  Other

1272

–  Under Investigation

77751

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

5229

–  Asian

185909

–  Black

143002

–  Hispanic/Latino

1272508

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

14455

–  White

379365

–  Other

316060

–  Under Investigation

527865

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  Hospitalized (Ever)***

139,622

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

73

–  Asian

3811

–  Black

2828

–  Hispanic/Latino

15633

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

111

–  White

7624

–  Other

305

–  Under Investigation

88